Anchoring device



Jan. 17, 1950 w. HUPPERT ANCHORING DEVICE Original Filed May 23, 1945 INVENTOR.

MLLIAM flay/ 6R! i atented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,495,104; ANCHORING William Huppert, New York, N. Y; Original application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,451. Divided and thisapplicationiJune 16, 1949, Serial No. 99,453

2 Claims. (Cl 85-5) This invention relates to an anchoring device for fastening one part to another or for joining two parts together, and is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 595,451 filed May 23, 1945.

Briefly described, the device comprises a metal body having one or more integral prongs at one,

or both ends. It is intended to be inserted, without pressure, intoa preformed cavity or cavities in the part or parts to which it is to be attached or which. are to be joined together. When so in-.

serted, and upon application of pressure, the prong or prongs are bent or spread outwardly to bite into the material surrounding the cavity or part or insert to a part made of molded plastic such as Bakelite, Tenite, Catalin, etc., or in connecting together two or more parts made of such plastic. The present invention provides an efiicient means for accomplishing these, as well as other, purposes.

While the device may be employed in various fields, it is especially useful in the electrical art for attaching metal parts or inserts to molded plastic bodies, such for example, as attaching blades to plastic bodies of electric plugs, or for connecting together in assembled relation parts of electric connectors, outlets, and other electrical articles or appliances. The anchoring device proper, with which this invention is concerned, may itself constitute a portion of the metal part to be attached to a plastic body. For instance, in the case of an electrical plug blade the anchoring device may be an integral portion of the blade construction. Furthermore, the device may be formed to serve the secondary function of securing a wire, cord or other electrical conductor in place and providing effective contact therewith.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for easily, rapidly and securely attaching an insert to a part or for connecting a plurality of parts together.

Another object is to provide anchoring devices that can be stamped from a metal blank without requiring any bending operation to form the prongs.

A still further object is to provide an anchoring device adapted to be freely inserted into a cavity 2 in the part to which it is to be applied and then to be secured therein by bending or spreading the prong or prongs outwardly.

The accompanying drawings illustrate certain embodiments of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a face View of one form of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; a

Fig. 3 is a View showing the device inserted in a cavity of the part to which it is to be attached;

I Fig. 4 is a similar view of the device in anchored position;

iFig. -5,shows a modified form positioned in the cavities of two-parts to bejoinedutogether;

Fig. 6. is a. face viewof another modified form. '.In several of the views the upper part of the anchoring device has been broken away since this invention is directed simply to the portion, which may be termed the shank portion, that is to be inserted in the cavity-of the part to which it is to be attached; Where the device is to be used to connect two parts, the upper half may be a mere duplication of the lower half. In the case where the'anchoring device itself constitutes the attached part, -the upper portion, that is the portion abovethe'shank maybe of any required form. 7 11 Thedevice inthe forms-illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4' comprises abody or shank portion if! of such shape,width and-thickness as to fit easily, on simple insertion without pressure, into a pre-' formed cavity or aperture I l-in the'part [2, of plastic or other material, to which it is to be applied. The lower end of the shank has an integral, bendable, prong [3 extending at an obtuse angle to the major or longitudinal axis of the shank in the plane thereof. The tip or point M of the prong does not project beyond the width of the shank, however the length of the prong is such that when the prong is bent into its anchoring position shown in Fig. 4 the point M will protrude beyond the width of the shank to bite into the material of the wall of the cavity. The lower surface [5 of the end of prong I3 may be curved or beveled to provide a cam action that facilitates upward and outward bending movement of the prong as the latter is pressed down against the bottom It of the cavity by application of pressure longitudinally of the shank.

As heretofore noted, the device is inserted into the cavity or recess without pressure, and the pressure required to bend the prong into anchoring position is applied only after the device has been so inserted. While the shank and cavity are 3 designed to have a relatively close fit, the fit need not be so tight as to necessitate that the shank be driven into the cavity, nor is it required that the tolerance be nearly as close as is the case where an insert is molded in a plastic part.

The anchoring devices may be formed complete by simply stamping them from sheet or strip stock without requiring: any bending operation to: form the prongs. Accordingly they may be rap idly and inexpensively manufactured in quantity.

Fig. 5 illustrates one example of a device for connecting together two separate parts: l=-'I'-'-|TI each having a performed cavity l8... In.this.case the body or shank [9 has a prongZOatboth its" upper and lower ends, whichl'prongstfunction in at substantially a right angle to the major axis ofz'the-shank by sliding movement of the ends of the prongs on the bottom of the cavity upon application of pressure on the shank in the genthe same manner as, and may bersimilatinzconrstruction to, the prong I3 previously described.

Fig. 6 represents a form of the device compris-. ing a shank 2| having two diverging prongs 22 at one or both of its ends, which prongs are adapted to be 'spreadand' b'entoutwardlyon' ap plication of longitudinal'pressure:

Each of the forms described havethe common characteristics that they 'maybe inserted freely into the preformed cavities and secured therein by bending or spreading the prongs outwardly on pressing the device, or the part or partsto' which it is to be anchored; relatively toward each other.

It will. be observed: that the lower endaof' theprong, which contacts" the bottom: of the cavity I I when the anchor is inserted, is iblunt azrid may be of convex curvaturesaxshown; an'dltliatisaid end has a. laterallydinected' tip:' or biting? edge I 4-. After. the anchorisz inserted: fiteelyfi into; the cavity and pressurezi'si then'appliect thereon, the prong will bend: as a; whole; about. its. point 01% connection. with the shank. andzi slide: Quit-:- wardly on the. bottom,..without penetrating the bottom, into anchoring; positiom witl'r its; tip or biting edge 14 engagedr in therside: wall of the carvityaseseeneiniEigul..-

It isto. be .understoodthat the-:examples-de! scribed are only illustrative thatutherinven! tion may be embodied informs-other than those. herein specifically shown and described.

What I claim is: v

1. Ananchoring; deviceicom'prisingg ax metallic shank having a: pair of: prongsvprojectingza diversgently outwardfrom-.- the central: part? 01 an. end."

of the shank. towards thevsides. of. the shank. with the ends. of the prongs normally:lyingzwithin eraldirection of itsrmajor axis, each prong being .01 a': length that when bent into anchoring position;itstend..will portrude beyond the respective side of the shank to bite into a side wall of the cavity;

2. An anchoring device comprising a metallic shank having at leastoneprong projecting obliquelyoutward-froman end'ofithe shank towards: a' -side-of'tlie-shank with'the end of the prong normally ly-ing'within the projection of saidside';

said prong comprising a substantially straight portion forming an. obtuseangle with the major axis of the shank; said device being adapted for insertion; freely into a preformed cavity in the: bodyin which it'is': to be anchored; thefree endv 205: said" prong being beveled on its edge most REFERENCES CITED The-- following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UmTED s'rATEs-PATENTs; l

Number 7 Name Date 2,034,080 Bitzenburger Mar. 1'7, 1936 2,329,471 King Sept. 14, 1943 

